Read Online Romance: Regency Romance: In Bed With The Duke (A Regency Romance) by Emily Teska, Historical Deluxe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emily Teska, Historical Deluxe
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and meet the new guests. I’m dying to see who has arrived already.” I pulled my white gloves up over my elbows and slid my feet into the embroidered silk slippers His Grace had sent me. I felt glamorous, as though I should be going to a performance in London instead of a society ball at a lesser Duke’s country seat.
I followed Sophie into the dining room and we took our place in line to greet the guests as they arrived. We entered the room at just the right time, only moments later, the great doors opened and the Duke himself entered the room to the applause of all assembled. He escorted a small group of men and women dressed in their London finery down the line of deeply curtsying ladies introducing each one to the strangers trailing behind him. When they approached us, Sophie and I curtsied low and looked at their feet. I admired the rich color of the gowns of the women, wondering suddenly if they only wore these dresses once and then threw them away as was rumored. His Grace raised us up and introduced us as the entertainment for the evening, and both Sophie and I blushed crimson. I found my gaze locked once more with the Duke and he smiled down at me, his smile growing wider as he saw the necklace resting on my heaving chest.
They moved down the line, but Sophie nudged me and whispered in my ear, “Did you see them looking at your necklace? You’d better tell me what’s going on, but it can wait until tomorrow. Have you seen the food?!” I looked hurriedly over my shoulder. The long tables groaned under the weight of the opulent dishes that had been prepared for the Duke’s birthday and my mouth began to water. The other women were twittering nervously and I could hear their whispered exclamations about the guests of honor. One was a Baronet, the other a Count and his Countess great lords and ladies of the realm that I would likely never see again, but who would undoubtedly be talking about my performance tonight.
Once the Duke and his guests had completed their greetings, we were dismissed by Mrs. Campbell to find out places at the table. A string quartet took up a position near the head of the table and began to play. Servants appeared and filled glasses with wine and water, and I heard the popping of champagne corks. I ate sparingly, but my mouth was dry. I tried not to drink too much wine, and was pleased to see that Sophie was also limiting her indulgence in that arena. She ate with her usual gusto, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat a full meal. I tasted a morsel of as many dishes as I could, but my stomach was too full of nervousness to allow me to eat properly.
I couldn’t help but cast my gaze towards the Duke as he entertained his guests. Every so often, he would look in my direction and I could see the sparkle of his blue eyes in the candlelight. I wanted to speak to him, to thank him for the beautiful dress and ask him about the necklace I now wore. The necklace everyone was staring at.
Dinner flew by, but I was distracted by my own nervousness. Soon enough, the plates were whisked away and replaced by bowls of tart lemon ice that cooled my mouth and slid gently down my throat. More wine flowed, and the Duke’s birthday cake arrived. Miniature versions of the massive and elaborate cake presented to His Grace were distributed to the guests not sitting at his table. The decadent chocolate confection sat in front of me, and while I tasted it delicately, I would not be able to eat the whole thing myself. Sophie was not plagued with such nervousness, and she devoured the cake and began to pick at mine.
I poked her in the side with a finger, “At this rate you’ll be as big as a house by the time William returns home from war.” Sophie giggled and put another forkful of cake into her mouth. “We’ll be performing soon, you’re lucky you’re not the one singing!” Sophie patted my back reassuringly.
“Don’t fret, once you start singing, you’ll forget about
I followed Sophie into the dining room and we took our place in line to greet the guests as they arrived. We entered the room at just the right time, only moments later, the great doors opened and the Duke himself entered the room to the applause of all assembled. He escorted a small group of men and women dressed in their London finery down the line of deeply curtsying ladies introducing each one to the strangers trailing behind him. When they approached us, Sophie and I curtsied low and looked at their feet. I admired the rich color of the gowns of the women, wondering suddenly if they only wore these dresses once and then threw them away as was rumored. His Grace raised us up and introduced us as the entertainment for the evening, and both Sophie and I blushed crimson. I found my gaze locked once more with the Duke and he smiled down at me, his smile growing wider as he saw the necklace resting on my heaving chest.
They moved down the line, but Sophie nudged me and whispered in my ear, “Did you see them looking at your necklace? You’d better tell me what’s going on, but it can wait until tomorrow. Have you seen the food?!” I looked hurriedly over my shoulder. The long tables groaned under the weight of the opulent dishes that had been prepared for the Duke’s birthday and my mouth began to water. The other women were twittering nervously and I could hear their whispered exclamations about the guests of honor. One was a Baronet, the other a Count and his Countess great lords and ladies of the realm that I would likely never see again, but who would undoubtedly be talking about my performance tonight.
Once the Duke and his guests had completed their greetings, we were dismissed by Mrs. Campbell to find out places at the table. A string quartet took up a position near the head of the table and began to play. Servants appeared and filled glasses with wine and water, and I heard the popping of champagne corks. I ate sparingly, but my mouth was dry. I tried not to drink too much wine, and was pleased to see that Sophie was also limiting her indulgence in that arena. She ate with her usual gusto, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat a full meal. I tasted a morsel of as many dishes as I could, but my stomach was too full of nervousness to allow me to eat properly.
I couldn’t help but cast my gaze towards the Duke as he entertained his guests. Every so often, he would look in my direction and I could see the sparkle of his blue eyes in the candlelight. I wanted to speak to him, to thank him for the beautiful dress and ask him about the necklace I now wore. The necklace everyone was staring at.
Dinner flew by, but I was distracted by my own nervousness. Soon enough, the plates were whisked away and replaced by bowls of tart lemon ice that cooled my mouth and slid gently down my throat. More wine flowed, and the Duke’s birthday cake arrived. Miniature versions of the massive and elaborate cake presented to His Grace were distributed to the guests not sitting at his table. The decadent chocolate confection sat in front of me, and while I tasted it delicately, I would not be able to eat the whole thing myself. Sophie was not plagued with such nervousness, and she devoured the cake and began to pick at mine.
I poked her in the side with a finger, “At this rate you’ll be as big as a house by the time William returns home from war.” Sophie giggled and put another forkful of cake into her mouth. “We’ll be performing soon, you’re lucky you’re not the one singing!” Sophie patted my back reassuringly.
“Don’t fret, once you start singing, you’ll forget about
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